A.N. This Maria story line was never in the original version, it was loosely planned for later on in the first version but I never got around to implementing it. Since in the original Maria was a snotty character I really didn’t want to delve too much into her life however since changing Maria’s character in this one I wanted to add that small story line that I’d been thinking about with the first version.

Chapter 19

“Excuse me?” Maria narrowed her eyes. That name rang an alarm in her memory but where she heard it she couldn’t quite figure it out.

Ava didn’t answer; instead she sorted through her own memories. Dakeri had been working with her and Rath on remembering their lives on Antar, there were various things she recalled, some important, while others not so much but all were her memories. Ava leapt up from the couch and began to pace.

“No it can’t be, it can’t. She wasn’t killed—or was she?” Ava talked to herself not paying the least bit of attention to the two others in the room. “On Antar I had been one of the last to be killed—“

“Hello?” Maria waved a hand in front of Ava’s face. “Want to tell me why you called me Dymara?” Not to mention why it sounded so familiar.

“Do ya know about…” She pointed up to the ceiling.

“Yes, I know about aliens and not just because I work at an alien themed restaurant. Can we please move along?” Maria impatiently waited.

This time Jeff spoke up. “Wait a minute Ava—are you saying that Maria is Dymara?” He looked closely at her but he couldn’t see or feel what Ava apparently was. “She didn’t die with you five how is that possible?” As important as Dymara had been, when she died and if she were cloned she wouldn’t have been sent to Earth. She would have stayed on Antar to do her duty.

“So she did die?” Ava confirmed.

“We would assume so. When you all were murdered she was close to forty and it’s unlikely Khivar would keep her alive considering how loyal she was to all of you.” He had no solid proof that she had perished but it was certainly plausible.

“Again I ask, what you talking about?” Maria placed her hands on her hips. Would she have to beg to get them to answer a simple question? Were the human’s questions just not important enough to them? Maria sarcastically thought.

Sighing Ava finally turned back to the confused teenager. “Dymara was my cousin on Antar. We weren’t particularly close because of the age difference but we were family. She was also next in line for Slyper.”

“Slyper?” That was all she could get out of her mouth. For the first time in a long while she was speechless.

“Antar’s version of a sorceress.” Jeff explained.

“No.” Maria shook her head. “Okay nice game to play on the human. Very funny, ha-ha.” She dug around in her purse looking around for her cypress oil. “For a minute there you two really had me going. Like I could be an alien.” Finally she felt the familiar vile. “Hate to break it to you though, I wasn’t hatched.”

“Neither were Dakeri or Liz. Doesn’t stop them from being aliens.” Ava pointed out.

“No, it’s impossible. Liz mentioned having memories or flashes of her life on Antar—I haven’t.” She pulled the cap off the top and breathed in deeply. “Besides I’m a normal, wacky, human, side-kick Maria, not some Antarian sorceress.” Maria shook her head in denial.

“Look I don’t know how to explain it but your aura is the same as Dymara’s. You are her—or at least the reborn version of her.” Ava rose her voice getting angry. Couldn’t she accept that she was different like the rest of them?

“Don’t yell at me. It’s one thing to be friends, lovers, and waitresses to aliens, it’s another thing to be one. That takes a whole other kind of person that I’m not.” The cypress oil wasn’t helping as much as she hoped.

Rolling her eyes Ava clamped her hands on Maria’s forearms, “Start becoming that kind of person. You are Dymara deal with it.”

Maria closed her eyes. “No,” She repeated. “I need Liz.” She whispered. Her life was crumbling beneath her feet and she felt like she was going to crack. No matter what had happened between them Liz kept her grounded and didn’t let her fly off the deep end.

Gently Ava guided the scared girl to the couch and sat her down. “You need to breathe.”

“I am breathing. Can’t you see my chest moving up and down that’s called breathing here on Earth.” Maria snapped at her.

“The way you’re doing it will make you pass out. Slow inhale and slow exhale.” Ava stood. “I’m going to go check on Rath and Dak’s dupes.” She left the living room and walked down the hall.

Liz’s Room

Michael had resumed his spot next to Liz’s bed when there was a knock. He didn’t bother to say ‘come in’ and whoever was on the other side didn’t wait either. As the door opened Ava stepped in the room. “How’s she doing?”

“Same.” She had barely moved an inch since she lost consciousness.

“And you?” Although she didn’t know Michael from a hole in the wall she knew and cared for Rath. It was hard to not give a damn about his twin.

Michael didn’t answer her, which she guessed answered her questioned somewhat. He kept a firm grip on Liz’s hand and smoothed his thumb over her knuckles.

“When she wakes up, it’s likely that she’ll have most if not all her memories of Antar. Ask her if she remembers Dymara.”

At that Michael looked at the punked out version of Tess. “Who? Why?”

“Just ask her and if she doesn’t—don’t worry about it.” She backed out of the room and shut the door behind her.

TBC